Three schools fail to meet federal goals
Marisa O’Neil
Three local schools failed to meet federal standards for English
proficiency, and will therefore have to make active program
improvements and give parents the option to pull their children out
and send them to a higher performing school.
According to data presented to the Newport-Mesa Unified School
District board of trustees during two study sessions, students from
Whittier, Pomona and Wilson elementary schools did not meet goals set
by the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
Parents with children at those schools will soon be getting
letters informing them of the schools’ status and their options, said
Peggy Anatol, director of assessment for the district. Attempts to
appeal the status were denied, Anatol said.
Each of the schools will have to revise academic plans and use
funds for staff professional development. The district must provide
technical assistance.
“Our school improvement plan is specifically written around
reading and language arts,” Pomona Principal Julie McCormick told the
board Tuesday. “We know we have a lot of work to do, especially with
[No Child Left Behind].”
At Pomona Elementary, 12.9% percent of Pomona Elementary students
tested at proficient levels or above -- below the 13.6% dictated by
the federal No Child Left Behind Act. Last week, Whittier Principal
Sharon Blakely presented her report showing that 12% of that school’s
students tested at proficient or advanced levels for English.
The general student population of Wilson scraped by with a 13.7%,
but the Latino population tested at only 12.7% English proficiency.
This is the second year the schools fell short.
Two of the schools reported a high English language learner
population -- Whittier at 79% and Pomona at 90% -- which may have
contributed to the lowered scores. For math proficiency, Whittier
recorded 39% and Pomona 18%, both above the 16% required by the No
Child Left Behind Act. Wilson also met the criteria.
The No Child Left Behind Act aims to make all students proficient
in English and math by 2014 and has set increasing benchmark goals
for schools. Schools that do not measure up after two consecutive
years must work on program improvement or risk losing federal funds.
Improvements include revising the school plan and offering parents
the choice of moving students to another school. If the school fails
to measure up after two years of program improvement, corrective
action could cause the school to replace its staff, extend the school
year or restructure the school.
The reports also included state testing and performance data,
measuring the Academic Performance Index. Nine of Newport-Mesa’s 21
schools met the goal of 800 or above.
Only one high school, Corona del Mar, exceeded that, with a score
of 803.
Andersen Elementary in Newport Beach had a 900, the highest of all
schools in the district. Wilson, with an index of 553, was the
lowest.
Of the nine schools, only one reported a significant subgroup in
its predominantly Caucasian student population. Newport Coast
reported an Asian subgroup, which received a 902 Academic Performance
Index.
* MARISA O’NEIL covers education and may be reached at (949)
574-4268 or by e-mail at marisa.oneil@latimes.com.
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